By Tom Degun

jonathan_fox_08-07-11July 7 - World champion Jonathan Fox claimed his second gold medal and second world record of at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) European Swimming Championships in Berlin as cruised to victory in the men's S7 100 metres backstroke as Britain claimed three gold medals on day five of the event.


Having won S7 400m freestyle gold on day one, a second title was never in doubt for Fox as he led from the start and powered clear to win in 1min 10.45sec, finishing over three seconds clear of Croatia's silver medallist Mihovil Španja and four seconds ahead of Levgen Poltavskyi of the Ukraine.

"It was actually quite comfortable to be honest," Fox said.

"I was ready to get in and qualify this morning but it turned out to be a straight final which was great.

"Obviously I had good preparation and a world record - I couldn't be happier."

Barely five minutes after Fox's title, international newcomer Susie Rodgers sprung a surprise to clinch gold in the women's S7 100m backstroke.

Competing against Germany's world champion and world record holder Kirsten Bruhn, Rodgers refused to be shaken by the home favourite and overtook her in the final metres to win her third gold of the week, as the 27-year old touched home in 1:26.90 ahead of silver medallist Bruhn in 1:26.52 and Italy's bronze medallist Arianna Talamona in 1:32.53.

Susie_Rodgers_with_gold_medal_European_Championships_Berlin_July_7_2011
"That was quite a shock for me," said Rodgers (pictured).

"My facial expression kind of gave that away.

"The first 50 felt quite difficult but I got the turn and then I just thought go for it and go as hard as I can and it worked."

Stephanie Millward broke her own European record in the SM9 400m freestyle to seal Britain's third gold of the night as the 29-year old warded off a determined challenge from Croatia's Sanja Milojevic to finish in 4:42.23.

"It was a good swim actually for me," Millward said.

"The 400m always seems like too far for me but I very much enjoyed it.

"I'm impressed because I have done a lot of hard work with my coach Billy Pye and I suppose I should have believed in myself."

In a desperate sprint for the wall, Louise Watkin held off Lauren Steadman to seal bronze behind Millward and Milojevic, taking her sixth medal of the Championships.

Elsewhere, Graham Edmunds set a season's best to seal S10 50m freestyle bronze, repeating his result from the Europeans two years ago as he finished in 25.61, while James Anderson broke his own five-year old British record to win bronze in the S2 100m freestyle in 2:20.62.

Emma Hollis had won the British team's first medal of the evening, bagging bronze in the S8 100m butterfly in 1:22.26, while Fran Williamson scooped her second medal of the Championships in the S3 100m freestyle in a season's best 2:21.63.

James Crisp won his third medal of the Championships, sealing bronze in the S9 400m Freestyle in 4:22.88, to round off another successful day in Berlin for the British team.

National Performance Director John Atkinson commented: "Tonight was a great demonstration of an all-round team effort.

"We got two extra medals than we could have realistically expected and I think that three gold medals was a great result for day five.

"We are well positioned for the final two days of competition after our performance this evening and I will be expecting us to maintain the great team spirit, support and work ethic."

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